Our expat sites

It’s that time of the year again. Events of the past 12 months are
assessed and plans for the next 12 are made. Read on to find out some
of the top New Year resolutions people make every year and top up on some tips to help you keep at them.

1. “I will spend more time with family”

This tops the list of New Years resolutions. In a recent survey, over
50% of Americans took the pledge to spend more time with family this
year. Call friends home instead of meeting up at the pub, leave work
earlier at least once a week and then try doing it more often.

2. “I will fit into my high school jeans again”
New Year is a great time to start the battle against the bulge. In
fact, surveys show a massive rise in gym memberships in the first three
months of the year. This unfortunately tails off some time in the
beginning of the second quarter.

3. “ I will quit smoking/ stop drinking”
New Year resolutions are a popular way to aim for sobriety. Many also
drink their way into the New Year with the promise that this is the
last they’ll have for the rest of the year. But as the saying goes, how
you start the New Year probably determines how the rest of the year
turns out. So if you’re planning to bid adieu to the cigarettes and the
booze, plan a more sober New Year’s eve party.

4. “I will do more fun stuff this year”
Plans for the New Year inevitably involve doing better than the year
gone by. And one of the most oft cited gripe is that people have been
so busy coping with the monotonous routine of everyday life, they
forget to enjoy and celebrate it. So plan a holiday, pick a hobby, do
something you’d feel good about and make sure you enjoy.

5. “ I will get my finances in order”
Money woes especially in recent turbulent times have made this another
top New Years resolution. At the start of the year, people vow to cut
their credit card bills, save more, make better investments and reduce
their debt. But just hoping that it will sort itself out isn’t enough;
make sure you have a plan to see you reach your financial goals by the
end of the year.

Some tips to help you keep your resolutions alive well into the year and beyond.

1. Keep it real
It’s
one thing to be excited about a goal, it’s another to achieve it. Make
sure you set reasonable goals and have a plan to make it work through
the year.

2. Tell the world
It’s harder
to smoke that cigarette when you’ve told all your friends, family and
colleagues that your New Year Resolution is to quit smoking. Better
still, team up with someone who also wants to quit and help each other
kick the habit.

3. Don’t overload yourself
Pick
one or two goals and stick with it. Resolving to change 20 different
aspects of your life in one year is only going to give you more things
to worry about and fix at the end of the next year.

4. Be specific
Details
matter; make a plan. If your resolution is to reduce smoking, decide on
what’s realistic and how much you want to reduce it by. Also break down
larger goals into smaller ones so they’re easier to achieve. E.g. from
15 cigarettes a day to 12 in the first month, 10 in the second month
etc. This will help you set clearer and more achievable targets.

5. Find alternatives
Dig
deeper into why you’re doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re
smoking because you’re stressed all the time, take up a hobby. If
you’re constantly coming home late because you’re not organized, get
more organized. Start by reducing clutter and work your way through to
a more efficient system.

6. Reward yourself
Every
time you reach a goal or a mini goal, treat yourself. You’ve done a
good job, you need to enjoy it so you can keep at it and hit the next
milestone.

Good luck with your New Year resolutions and make sure you make them work.